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Superlative Adjectives

Spoken Description

Lerne Superlative: Wie bilden und verwenden wir den Superlativ im Deutschen? Mit klaren Regeln, Beispielen und Übungen! Perfekt für den schnellen Einstieg und die Verbesserung deiner Adjektivsteigerung im Alltag.

Learn superlatives: how to form and use the superlative in German with clear rules, examples, and practice. Perfect for beginners wanting to compare more fluently and use adjectives confidently.

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Superlative Adjektive im Deutschen heben den höchsten Grad einer Eigenschaft hervor, entweder innerhalb einer Gruppe oder im absoluten Sinne. Dieser Leitfaden erklärt die beiden Hauptformen: den attributiven Superlativ mit -ste(n) und den adverbialen oder prädikativen Superlativ mit am -sten.

Superlative adjectives in German highlight the highest degree of a quality, either within a group or in an absolute sense. This guide covers the two main forms: the attributive superlative with -ste(n) and the adverbial or predicative superlative with am -sten.

Attributive Superlative

Der attributive Superlativ fügt -ste(n) an das Adjektiv an und verhält sich wie jedes andere attributive Adjektiv, also nimmt er die üblichen Endungen entsprechend Geschlecht, Zahl und Fall an. Diese Form wird verwendet, wenn der Superlativ direkt ein Substantiv beschreibt.

The attributive superlative adds -ste(n) to the adjective and behaves like any other attributive adjective, so it takes the usual endings according to gender, number, and case. This form is used when the superlative qualifies a noun directly.

Examples

Usage Notes

If the adjective stem ends in -t, -d, -s, -ß, -x, or -z, you'll usually add an extra -e- before -ste(n) for easier pronunciation. This is similar to how you add -e- for regular endings in these cases.

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Adverbial and Predicative Superlative

The adverbial and predicative superlative uses the form am -sten and remains uninflected except for the neuter ending; it is typically used after sein, werden, or bleiben, or when modifying verbs. This form highlights the extreme degree of an action or quality in a general way.

Examples

Usage Notes

Use am -sten when the superlative functions as an adverb modifying an action or when it stands on its own after a linking verb. For attributive use, stick to the -ste(n) form with the appropriate ending.

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Comparison Recap

Quickly review the three degrees of comparison in German: positive (basic form), comparative (adding -er or mehr), and superlative (either attributive -ste(n) or adverbial am -sten). Examples illustrate how each degree modifies meaning.

Quick Examples

Dieses Büro ist heute am(organized).

This office is the most organized today.

Fill in the blank with the correct form (übersichtlich, am -sten): Dieses Büro ist heute __________ (most organized).

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Summary

German superlatives come in two main shapes: the attributive superlative with -ste(n) that agrees with the noun, and the adverbial/predicative superlative with am -sten that modifies actions or stands after linking verbs. Learn when to use each for clear and natural emphasis.

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